The process of manufacturing glass fiber compositions typically involves spraying large volumes of phenol formaldehyde binders into high volume air streams, and then curing the product in convection ovens that involve high volumes of air. As a result, fiberglass manufacturers have an urgent need to reduce their VOC emissions, particularly with regard to formaldehyde.
Attempts at reducing the free formaldehyde content of traditional phenol formaldehyde binders have been unsuccessful because excess formaldehyde is essential to curing and bonding in such systems. Techniques such as scrubbing and incineration require substantial financial expenditures with no guarantee of success.
Attempts to convert free formaldehyde into less obnoxious and dangerous chemicals have involved the addition of ammonia or urea. Such additions are intended to convert free formaldehyde into hexamethylenetetramine or a mixture of mono and dimethylol ureas (MMU and DMU). Unfortunately, however, urea, hexamethylenetetramine, and mono and dimethylol ureas can all contribute to the production of trimethylamine, which gives cured fiberglass products an undesirable fishy odor.
As a result, an alternative to phenol formaldehyde based fiberglass binders has long been sought. Attempts to utilize aqueous compatible furan resin based fiberglass binding compositions have been successful in achieving some reductions in VOC emissions. However, it is desirable to reduce the levels of volatile organic compound in furan resins so as to be as low as possible.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a furan resin for use in glass fiber binding compositions which has reduced levels of volatile organic compounds.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of reducing volatile organic compounds in furan resins.